Health & Medicine

2019-04-29 20:13:26 Measles Shots Aren't Just For Kids: Many Adults Could Use A Booster Too

#Measles is on the rise again, all around the globe.

Though the number of people affected in the #US is still relatively low compared with the countries hardest hit, there are a record number of US measles cases — more than 700, so far, in 2019, according to the #CDC — the highest since the disease was eliminated in the US back in 2000.

Measles has been documented in more than a third of states, with large outbreaks in New York and Washington. And although the majority of people getting the illness now were never vaccinated, the expanding outbreaks have raised new questions about whether some older adults — including many of those born before the mid-1960s — should be revaccinated, along with some younger people uncertain of their immunization status. Open / Comment

2019-04-23 06:11:07 A Treatment That Uses Mild Shocks to Treat ADHD in Children Now Has the FDA's Blessing

Families of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (#ADHD) will now have a new, non-drug, treatment available to manage the condition: a medical device attached to the forehead that sends mild shocks to the nervous system.

Over the weekend, the #FDA announced they granted clearance of NeuroSigma’s Monarch external Trigeminal Nerve Stimulation (eTNS) System for children with ADHD. (The FDA does not generally “approve” medical devices the same way it does with drugs). The treatment will be intended for those ages 7 to 12 who are not currently taking any other prescription drugs for their ADHD. But it will also only be available via prescription. Open / Comment

2019-04-16 23:34:08 Weakness for scams in elderly may be warning sign of Alzheimer’s

Does an older friend or relative have a hard time hanging up on telemarketers? Or get excited about a “You’ve won a prize” voicemail? New research suggests seniors who aren’t on guard against scams also might be at risk for eventually developing #Alzheimers disease.

Elder fraud is a huge problem, and Monday’s study doesn’t mean that people who fall prey to a con artist have some sort of dementia brewing. But scientists know that long before the memory problems of Alzheimer’s become obvious, people experience more subtle changes in their thinking and judgment. Neuropsychologist Patricia Boyle of Rush University’s Alzheimer’s disease center wondered if one of the warning signs might be the type of judgment missteps that can leave someone susceptible to scams. Open / Comment

2019-04-12 18:29:10 Rate Of 4-Year-Olds With Autism On The Rise In New Jersey, CDC Study Finds

The rate of 4-year-old children with #Autism is on the rise in #NJ, according to a new report from the #CDC. The study found the number of 4-year-olds with autism spectrum disorder surged by 43 percent from 2010 to 2014.

Researchers say the difference is likely explained by the availability of services in the state, which results in more accurate reporting. New Jersey has the highest autism rate in the country at one in 35 children. The national rate is one in 59 kids.

The CDC says early detection and treatment can help improve a child’s development. Open / Comment

2019-04-02 01:49:34 Vaping may be more dangerous than we realized

When e-cigarettes first appeared on store shelves a few years back, they were marketed as a sleek, discreet technology that could help adult smokers kick a potentially deadly habit. Flash forward to 2018, the year the Juul vape device took over three-quarters of the #US e-cigarette market. Instead of catering to adult smokers, the e-cigarette industry appeared to be overwhelmingly targeting nonsmoking youth.

Maciej Goniewicz, one of the leading e-cigarette researchers based at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center in #Buffalo, has watched the shift unfold up close: The volunteers who come forward for his e-cigarette studies seem to be getting younger. “[These are] people who were breathing pure air for a long time — and have never smoked tobacco cigarettes — who now have started using e-cigarettes,” Goniewicz said. Open / Comment

2019-03-24 23:40:58 California grower recalls avocados over possible listeria

A Southern California company is voluntarily recalling whole avocados over possible #Listeria contamination. Henry Avocado, a grower and distributor based near #SanDiego, said Saturday that the #Recall covers conventional and organic avocados grown and packed in California. The company says they were sold in bulk across #CA, #AZ, #FL, #WI, #NC and #NH.

There have been no reports of any illnesses associated with the avocados. The company says it issued the voluntary recall after a routine inspection of its packing plant revealed samples that tested positive for listeria. The company says avocados imported from #Mexico and distributed by Henry are not being recalled and are safe. Listeria is a bacteria that can cause fever and diarrhea, and more dangerous complications in pregnant women. Open / Comment

2019-03-18 16:13:53 Sugary drinks linked to higher risk of premature death, especially for women, study says Open / Comment

2019-03-18 16:13:49 Don't take an aspirin a day to prevent heart attacks and strokes: Doctors reverse recommendation

s.z9network.com/2ueNWR4 Open / Comment

2019-03-14 07:19:23 Pill 'as good as statins' could benefit hundreds of thousands of patients - but it works without the same side effects

s.z9network.com/2VXsR9B Open / Comment

2019-03-14 07:19:20 The Inactive Ingredients in Pills Can Cause Side Effects, Too

s.z9network.com/2VSV1Cs Open / Comment